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I wore the dorky third eye eye glass mirror for years. (There were times I wished I had looked an extra time before turning.) My guess is it was very non-aero. But, hey, I'm an old guy and don't go that fast anyway.

I switched last Spring to the Sprintech; it looks like it should be more aero, but without a windtunnel there's no real way to tell. I think it makes me faster, but my average mph is really dependent on how much riding I've done and the shape I'm in.

There is another bar end mirror which is even smaller and narrower, but I don't know who makes it.

"I can't understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I'm frightened of old ones." -- John Cage

In the past I used a small mirror that fits inside my glasses. Very small and works OK. I never weighed it but I would be suprised if it was more then three grams and no effect on areodynamics or the more importantent style factor or
Do I need a GPS/ powermeter with cellphone/mp3 and rearview camera (does it beep when you go backward?) with altitude and grade functions. Will it tell me if my tire pressure is low? Will it fully integrate with the new electronic gruppo that shifts for me? Will it come with cup holders

stella-azzurra wrote:That's not what I meant. What I mean is if the driver of the car or truck is not paying attention and runs into you from behind. You have no where to go. I'm not talking about moving a foot or 2. What I am saying is do not rely on the mirror to save your life. Same goes for the helmet. You can have the mirror and the helmet but the thing that saves your life is being focused 100% and being aware of stuff that is going on around you.

If you have a mirror you can see the car coming and if they're obviously not going to pull out, ride off the road (unless you're on a country lane enclosed by hedges, you almost always do have somewhere to go, even on the little roads in the UK).

Even if you did move over it would be too late. And actually moving away in the same direction that the car is coming at you proves to be the wrong move.

stella-azzurra wrote:What I am saying is do not rely on the mirror to save your life. Same goes for the helmet. You can have the mirror and the helmet but the thing that saves your life is being focused 100% and being aware of stuff that is going on around you.

Which is why I like having the mirror. Unfortunately, I pretty much have to rely on motorists seeing me because most of the roads do not have shoulders and I'm riding in the lane. Wear bright clothes and don't ride towards the setting sun. Traffic isn't heavy, so most drivers can give me plenty of room while passing... but sometimes there is a blind corner or approaching large vehicles, and they pass anyway. At those times I like to know they are doing it so I can move over... but only after it is clear they are passing me. My normal position "encourages" them to wait. Cowboys with horse trailers seem to be the worst since they don't even slow down and don't seem to care if they hit you. I don't count on anything "saving" me... we all gotta die sometime.

Where do you live? Are there alternate roads you can take? The sun setting and traffic are things you do not have control over so just deal with it. It should not affect your ride. Alternate route is one solution.
You need to understand where I come from and that is New York City where one rides in traffic not along side it. If you do, you are more likely to get hit at intersections. You have to be 100% focused and be aware of the line you are taking while scanning ahead for potential risks and situations. Your position on the road is key and you need to look before you move. I do not truth mirrors because they will not be able to tell how close the vehicle is really and they have blind spots. The thing that cyclists need to realize is that we are responsible for where we are on the road. We cannot rely on the judgment of the motorist. We have to take the initiative to avoid motorists not the other way around. Because if you don't you will always lose out. So a good rider knows where he/she is on the road, scans up ahead for potential dangers, looks back before switching the line. Now that I live in a much smaller city everything is slower, smaller and like a parking lot.

they call it a micro mirror. I used them mostly to keep an eye on the chase group (as they passed me ) Learning to look over your shoulder/under your arm while keeping your line is still a valuable skill even with a mirror

they call it a micro mirror. I used them mostly to keep an eye on the chase group (as they passed me ) Learning to look over your shoulder/under your arm while keeping your line is still a valuable skill even with a mirror

I like it and would try it, but the shipping from CA to US is more than the cost of the mirror!

{edit} I found one on eBay for less and ordered it.

"I can't understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I'm frightened of old ones." -- John Cage